


Different Page

by holdouttrout



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-24
Updated: 2007-07-24
Packaged: 2017-11-15 21:04:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/531680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdouttrout/pseuds/holdouttrout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leia's having trouble adjusting, post RotJ.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“You are the strangest princess I’ve ever met.” 

“And you’ve met more than one?” 

Luke grinned into his glass. He was sitting at the _Falcon’s_ table with Leia and Han, en route to some Very Important Gathering to discuss the Future of the New Republic, and Han was getting Leia drunk. Of course, this involved Han and Luke getting drunk, too. It was paying off, because Han had somehow managed to get Leia to sit in his lap after she’d come back from the ‘fresher the last time. Luke wondered vaguely if he should feel disturbed that his sister—his sister—was sitting in a man’s lap in front of him, but decided brotherly protection might not apply in this case. 

“Only one I cared to know,” said Han in a low voice. 

“Really?” Leia said, touching her forehead to Han’s. 

“Really.” 

And that was Luke’s cue to leave. He stood and stretched, not bothering to say anything to Han and Leia, who were predictably oblivious to him. 

Since Endor, things had gotten decidedly…sappy, and Luke was having a little trouble adjusting to their new dynamic. They all were. He took a moment to look back at the couple just as Leia kissed Han lightly and settled more tightly around him, placing her head on his shoulder. 

Still able to hear their conversation, Luke walked down the main corridor toward his bunk. 

“So, tomorrow, we land the _Falcon_ and head to boring meetings for three days,” Han said. “Three long, boring days.” 

“Three days in which a certain princess will be very busy and unable to sleep.” 

“Who needs sleep?” 

“Who indeed?” 

Luke winced, just a little. 

*_*_*_*_*_* 

Luke woke up early the next morning to get in some Jedi exercises before the first round of meetings. He found Leia in the main room, stuffing some extra items into a bag. 

“I thought you were staying on the _Falcon_ ,” he said, surprised. He didn't need the Force to sense she was angry and troubled and wondered what had happened between her and Han last night. 

She avoided his eyes. “If I’m inside the compound, it’ll be easier to get to meetings.” 

He wasn’t going to skirt around the issue. “And avoid Han.” 

She paused her packing, her hands poised above the bag for just a second, then resumed with a little more force as she shoved another piece of clothing in. 

“Leia, you can tell me. What’s the matter with you two? Lately, you’ll suddenly stop talking to each other for a few days. Then it’s back on like nothing happened.” 

She continued to shove item after item into the bag. 

“Is it something Han’s doing? Something he says to you?” 

“It’s just not enough for him. He just wants to move too fast.” 

Luke was really confused—and embarrassed. “Leia, I was under the impression—“ he gestured helplessly with his hands. 

She flushed. “No! It’s not…that. That’s grea--fine.” 

It was Luke’s turn to blush. He said, “Okay, then, what is it?” 

Leia hesitated. Seeing Luke’s earnest face, she sighed and sat down. 

“He wants to get married.” 

Luke’s face reflected his shock. 

“He--wow.” 

Leia looked Luke in the eyes. “He’s so certain.” 

“And you’re not.” 

“No. Yes. I just don’t know. I always thought I would marry, Luke. In fact, it’s kind of a duty, to preserve the family line. But then Alderaan…” she trailed off, looking down at her hands. Luke took her hands and sat down next to her. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. 

“That’s not the only thing. What is it, Leia?” 

She looked up at him and for the first time, he really saw her anguish. “Luke, how can you—how do you know you’re not like him?” 

Luke said, quietly, “How do you know I’m not like him?” 

“That’s preposterous. You’re nothing like him.” 

Luke’s mouth twisted. “You’re wrong, Leia. On the Death Star…I wanted to kill him, wanted to make him suffer for what he’d done to me, to everyone, and especially to you.” Leia shifted uncomfortably. “I felt his rage and I felt my own.” 

“But—“ 

“I chose not to be like him. I almost failed. And he, in the end, chose to turn back.” 

Leia grimaced. 

“Leia, you’re the strongest person I know. You’ve been through more than almost anyone else can fathom. If you haven’t given in to the Dark Side yet, you never will. You can’t. Its lures mean nothing to you. Power--you’ve had it, and lost it, and survived. Strength--you already possess more than your fair share.” He smiled. “You trust me, and I trust you.” 

Slowly, Luke saw Leia accept his words. She might not believe them, yet, but she would think about them. He let out a breath. 

“You haven’t told Han any of this.” 

“No.” 

“You should.” 

She nodded reluctantly. 

“You should unpack your bag, too.” 

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Are you trying to order me around?” 

Luke grinned, pushing away the seriousness of their conversation. “A farm boy from Tatooine, order around a Princess? The thought would never cross his mind.” 

Leia stifled a smile. “Advice from a Jedi, then. Better listen.” She smirked a little at Luke’s expression—a mixture of pride and uncomfortable embarrassment—and grabbed her bag to empty it back out again. Luke turned to go. 

“Luke,” she said as he neared the doorway. “Thanks.” 

He smiled at her. “See you later.


	2. Missing Scene

Leia's last meeting ran late. Really late. She almost wished she had taken temporary quarters on the base after all; by the time she walked all the way back to the  _Falcon_ , she was completely exhausted. She dropped her files on the holochess table, kicking it when it tried to turn on at the pressure from the datachips and papers. She took off her shoes and starting shucking her jacket and clothes before she even reached Han's quarters.  
  
Han was already asleep, though a small light was on by the foot of the bed. Leia smiled a little guiltily at that. She hadn't seen him all day, and it was nice to know he had wanted her to come back.  
  
She stripped down to her t-shirt and underwear and slid into bed, turning off the light. Han stirred beside her.  
  
“I thought you might not come back tonight,” he said sleepily.  
  
She said, “I thought you were asleep.”  
  
He turned over, brushed her arm. “I was waiting for a princess.” He lowered his voice conspiratorially. “That's important, you know.”  
  
She smiled, although he couldn't see it. “I'm sorry for earlier.”  
  
He stilled. “Me, too.”   
  
Leia moved toward him, pressed a kiss to his cheek by his lips, settled into him, his arm fitting under her neck, their hips touching.  
  
“Tomorrow,” Leia said, “we need to talk about...things.”  
  
“Things?” he sounded hopeful.  
  
“Yeah,” she said softly. “Things.”


End file.
